a new favorite...

...i am always out on the look-out for something new to make. when i look for new things, it has to be easy and quick too. like quick enough to make while the baby is sleeping. so like at least an hour quick :) i always get in a rut and make the same things over and over. do you have that feeling too? anyways, our church made a cookbook a while back with old favorites and i just discovered this yummy-ness! :) and one of these is probably your whole caloric intake for the day...but, whatever.

butter brickle bars

things you will need:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 lg. egg
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. butter brickle chips
3/4 - 1 1/2 c. pecan pieces
choc.chips, to taste

you will need to mix the cake mix, egg, melted butter and pat into a greased jelly roll pan. i couldn't find my pan at the time so i used a cake pan. now that i have made this, i would really suggest finding your jelly roll pan! :)

pour you sweetened condensed mild on top.

then top with butter brickle chips, pecans(i used pretzels btw, instead of the pecans) and choc. chips.

then pop that baby into the oven for 24 minutes. yes, 24 minutes, not 25 :)
bake at 350 degrees.

seriously, it's the easiest dessert to make. and you family will die from the goodness!!! :)
go get your bake on!

mmmmmmm....

...pizza roll...

if you like pizza but you wanna change it up a bit. this is for you!
tastes like a pizza. just looks a bit different.

good ol' comfort food.
husband is sure to love it :)

first, roll out some pizza dough onto a jelly roll pan.
next add your toppings. we just added pepperoni because that is all we had in the house.
i think green peppers, sausage, chicken&jalapenos, or mushrooms would be good too.

add as much cheese as you would like. we like it cheeeeesay :)
it ain't easy bein cheeesay :)
oh, and add some italian seasoning too

then start rolling the dough until you have a log lookin thing.
{you can add red sauce if you want, but i think it would be hard and messy to roll}
you choose though.
put it in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes....and voila!


yum yum yum!!!!
love.

make this.
you will thank me later that you did.
just sayin'!! :)

xoxo

ps stay warm friends....25 below brrrrrrrrr

a not so healthy supper....

...but...
....it is a new favorite :)

instead of a bacon cheeseburger.....
...its a bacon cheese chicken

so this is what you'll need:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 C. teriyaki sauce
1/2 C ranch dressing
1C. cheddar cheese
1/2lb. bacon

pretty much, i had everything at home except the teriyaki sauce. i would bet that is the same for you. i don't know about you, but i HATE (and yes if i was talking to you i would yell hate) going to the store to get ingredients for every meal. i don't have a pantry fullllll of foooooood. although i wish i did. not to mention the closest store is 10ish minutes away in a different town. yes my town is a suburb and has a population of 63. i know you are alllll jealous of this small town.
hahahahahaha.

ok, ok, ok i'll get back to cooking.

first you are going to fry your bacon. i always cut the bacon in half before i even open the package of bacon. like this. {i learned this from my m.i.l.}

place the bacon in a large skillet on med./med.low.
to be quite honest i kinda suck at frying bacon. i always look at it and think, it's close but could go longer. i let it go longer and frick, it's too done. the trick is{in my opinon}when you think it could go a bit longer, that's when you should take it off the burner.

this is when you need to take it off the burner. or a bit sooner.
with your tongs, place bacon on a plate with a paper towel on top to soak up the grease :)

you will have some grease left in the skillet. pour most of the grease out, like in a glass jar, can, etc. don't pour down the drain. that's bad. leave just enough grease to make a thin layer on the bottom of skillet. this is what we will sear our chicken in. it gives it a nice yummy flavor.

pre-heat your oven to 350 and spray a 9X13 or 8X8 pan with pam or something similar. this is what we will put our chicken in, when we are done searing it.

place your chicken breasts in the skillet with that left over grease. sear 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are lightly browned.

When both sides are browned like above, place the chicken in the 9X13 pan or 8X8 which ever you use.

now cut the bacon into small bits. i use a scissors but you could stack them up and cut with a knife too.

yuuuuuum :)

now back to the chicken that is in your baking dish. pour the tariayki sauce over the chicken boobs. like so.
next cover with ranch dressing. i used light dressing just because that is what i had on hand. but you could use the KRAFT BRAND with bacon in it.
now top with cheese. like so.
and your bacon pieces.
now bake you chicken in the oven at 350 for 25-35 minutes. until the chicken juices and chicken are no longer pink.

can't believe i didn't take a picture of the finished product!!!!! ahhh!!!!!!
i guess i was too excited to hurry up and eat it!!!
just take my word for it......it looks freakin amazing!!!!!
trust.me.

happy cooking!!! :)

i promised mr. i would....

cook more in 2011....

not that i have to justify my statement but i will anyways....it's not like i NEVER cooked, it's just i didn't that OFTEN. maybe like a nice meal once a week, then of course you have left-overs that lasts a day or more, and then the good old standby...frozen pizza. then before you knew it the week was over already. then back to a cooked meal again.

so anyways enough of that ranting....we are trying to spice up our dinner rotations :)

tonight's meal: grilled chicken pasta in tomato sauce
you could also you shrimp if that is your thang :)

so you wanna try it? this is what you'll need:

1 lb. bonless, skinless chicken boobs
your favorite steak seasoning
1/2 pound penne pasta
2Tbsp butter
2Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C chicken broth
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 C heavy whipping cream
salt&peppa (to taste)
1Tbsp parsley
1Tbsp basil

first, rinse your chicken in cold water and lay on wax paper.
the cover with another sheet of wax paper. use a meat mallet and pound the breast so that they are even in thickness. you want them to be even thickness just because i think they cook more evenly is all.
cover your chicken in your favorite steak seasoning. we used a chicago steak seasoning. you could also use like montreal steak seasoning or even lowrys seasoning too. whatever your little heart desires :)
So...
you could grill the chicken next OR if it is like snowing like crazy and colder than the artic where you are at like me :) then you can cook them on the stove top. we chose to use our stove :)

i use 2Tbsp butter & 2Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. let that get nice a hott like then place your chicken boobs in the skillet and flip in about 5 min.
**once the chicken is done...you will be tempted to eat all of it plain b/c it's soooo yummy but refrain! you will be happy you did :)

now, make your pasta. in a large pot, add your water and a Tbsp salt. salt? yep. it will give the noodles a delicious taste! bring that water to a boil then add your penne pasta. i used like 3/4 of a 1lb. box of pasta and that is enough for you and your mr. plus a day of left overs or lunch for work the next day.

now to the heavenly tomato sauce.......
heat 2Tbsp butter and 2Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add the garlic and stir occasionally until the garlic is tender. you won't want to let your garlic too brown because then you are close to burning it. it should take like 3-5 minutes.

add your chicken broth to the garlic, butter, and olive oil and turn to medium high.
now let the chicken broth reduce while we cut up the chicken. it should be cool enough to handle by now.
now go back to your chicken broth. i wondered why in the heck you have to let the chicken broth reduce? i didn't really know what that meant. if you are like me :), you want it to reduce so that your sauce isn't too soupy or runny. it should reduce to like 1/2 or so.

so pour in your tomato sauce.
then pour in your heavy whipping cream
add 1/2 tsp salt & pepper, 1Tbsp dried parsley & basil...
or if you want, you may buy fresh and chop them up but that sounds like too much work, i'll stick with the herbs from my cupboard :)
and stirrrrr
then taste test it! if YOU think it needs more salt and/or pepper, please do so!

so now you will drain your pasta and put right into your tomato sauce and mix all together until ALL the noodles are covered.

you may also add your chicken to that mixture so it can heat back up.....OR....you can just add your chicken to the top of your pasta on your plate, like we did :)

fancy, ey?!?!??
are you huuuuungry yet!?!?!


here was my audience, making sure i wasn't messing up or anything :)

hi mom!!!!

happy cooking!!!!! :)